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Thank you for all the words you gave me about my birthday. I'm having a chocolate cake that looks like a, you know, a flower and it has butterflies around it. I have a present from my mom and dad and it's in a princess bag. I'm having the curly chicken tacoes - the kind I like from the big banquet that has vegitables and chicken in it. I hope I have the best birthday party ever, but I wish you could come to my birthday party because I like you guys.

"Get your medical advice from Doctors or medical professionals who you trust and know your history."

"Beware of the fortune teller doom and gloomers who seek to bring you down and are only looking for company, purpose and validation - not your best physical/mental interests."

"You know you all are saying that this is incurable. When the real thing you should be saying is it's not curable at the present time' because as we know, the great strides we've made in medicine." - Elizabeth Edwards

I had a wonderful time at my birthday party. I had LOTS of chocolate cake. I got a Barbie case, a Barbie, a Ken, clothes, and a real sewing machine. I got bobbins, too, and scissors, and lots of other stuff. I got a $20 from my cousins. I got clothes and brand new clothes from Kate and Matthew and a card with some money from Alan.

Today we are going shopping with my cousins. When we get back, my mom is going to teach me how to do the needle thing she does (cross-stitch). I got a Cinderella pillow case that I can make and a castle for when I learn how to do it better. I hope you all are having a good day.

Mini

Oh, wait! I forgot. When I was still in Mexico before my birthyday, I got a dress from Jan, and a backpack from Mike, and money from Jody. Ok, that's all.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and wishes. It's so hard to believe that we brought her home 8yrs ago today (but it was on the Friday before Labor Day). I met the worker in the parking lot of Arby's - I guess she was my "kids' meal" prize .

I was handed this teeny weeny 5lb 6oz, light-skinned, bald baby girl. She had nothing to her name except a hospital gown, an ugly hat, a hospital issue blanket, 1 diaper, and a hand-full of premeasured doses of AZT in tiny syringes. She didn't even have a name - all her paperwork said "baby girl" (last name). The no-name issue was easy enough to resolve. Hubby and I had agreed on a name the night before. As is our tradition, she was given a Hebrew name that means "the wished for child", a middle name of Grace, and a 3rd Hebrew name that means "gift from God".

Our 1st stop was to my parents' house. Dad was working and mom had our 2 boys (then ages 3 and 81/2mths). Our 8 1/2 old had chicken pox so both were hanging with my parents until he was cleared up. Our next stop was 1hr away to Hubby's work. I'd already changed her clothes into a cute white and green outfit that mom had bought her. I wrapped her up - no one was going to see her until her daddy did. We locked ourselves in his office so he could "unwrap" his gift in private. We sat and cried. Then, over the intercom, we heard an announcement "Office Depot would like to congratulate (Hubby and I) on the birth of thier daughter who is making her debut today." We came out to applause and more tears.

It still seems like yesterday. Again, thank you for sharing Mini's special day with us. Here's to many, many more shared days.